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Dental Sealants - Sealing your teethEveryone dreads hearing that "oh, yeah.." groan from their dentist. Tooth decay. Cavities need to be filled. Get out the drill, let's do a root canal, you are going to need a crown.. Battling tooth decay is an ongoing job for most of us. Brushing, flossing, gargling with plaque killers. But there are tiny spots and crevices on the surface of your biting teeth, your molars, that are actually smaller than the bristles on your tooth brush (sorry, even electronic tooth brushes can't reach them). Plaque and bacteria can eventually find their way in there and cause tooth decay, leading to cavities and fillings. Over the last 2 decades, an alternative procedure has evolved, called dental sealants or tooth sealants. What are dental sealants? Keep reading.
Does sealing your teeth work? Do sealants prevent cavities?How long do dental sealants last? Sealants generally last 5 years at least, although some will fail within 2 or 3 years, and some will last more than a decade. About 65-80% are still in place after 5 years. One key to longevity is keeping the tooth surface dry when the sealant is applied. Long term, if you kept replacing them to avoid cavities, the cost might end up pretty high, perhaps even more than dental work would have cost you, however at the end you end up with healthy teeth instead of dentally restored teeth (fillings, crowns, etc). Anecdotal evidence indicates that sealants are quite effective at helping to prevent surface cavities. Sealants have been shown to reduce cavities by up to 60% or more. They do not help with between the teeth cavities, so normal brushing and flossing is still critical to maintain proper dental hygiene. To be effective, sealants must remain intact. If you find a piece has cracked or broken off, let your dentist know so they can repair it.How much do dental sealant cost? How much to seal teeth?The cost of dental sealants varies by doctor and location, but on average plan on spending between $25-$45 per tooth. Fortunately, since they are place only every few years as new teeth come in, the cost is spread over many years and doesn't feel like such a big hit to your wallet. There is talk that eventually there will be a vaccine against the bacteria that causes tooth decay - until then, consider sealants with your dentist and keep brushing.
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